Improvement in windlasses



J. A. PELPHREY.

windlass.

Patented July 9.1878.

N0. ZQ5,900.

Invent m. J w

Witnesses- N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, 0 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIoE.

JOHN A. PELIHREY, OF LOWMANSX'ILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN WINDLASSES.

Specilieation forming part of Letters Patent N0. 205,900, dated July 9,1878; application filed April 12, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. PELPHREY, of Lowmansville, in the county ofLawrence and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Windlasses for l'Vells and other purposes; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in windlasses for wells and otherpurposes; and it consists in the arrangement and combination of parts,whereby the bucket may be let down into the well at any desired rate ofspeed without having the crank fly around to the danger of the operator,as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings represent my invention.

a represents a box or cover, which may be secured to a post or any othersuitable support, and which serves to protect the rope from the actionof the weather. Inside of this frame placed the drum upon which the ropeis wound, and this drum is secured rigidly to the shaft b, passingthrough and journaled in each end of the frame. To one end of this shaftis secured a ratchet, c, which is provided with teeth on a portion ofits surface, while the balance of its periphery is left perfectly smoothand plain, and serves as a friction-brake to prevent the bucket fromdescending too rapidly. llaced loosely upon the shaft I), just inside ofthis ratchet, is another ratchet, d, projecting from one side of whichis the crank c, which has its outer end shaped as shown, and providedwith the shoulder or catch 9. Catching in the teeth of this ratchet d isthe pawl h, which serves to prevent the crank from flying backward,should the handle escape from the hands of the operator at any timewhile the bucket is being drawn to the top of the well. This pawl allowsthe ratchet to be turned freely to the right, but always instantlycheeks its backward movement.

livoted to the outer side of the crank e is the long hand-lever i, theinner end of which is provided with a foot or projection, l, for bearingupon the smooth part of the ratchet 0, so as by frictional contact toprevent the shaft from revolving too rapidly while the bucket is beinglowered into the well, and with another foot or projection, o,extendingin the opposite direction, to catch in the teeth of the ratchetc, to be used in drawing the bucket from the well.

Upon the inner side of this handle or leverz' is formed an L-shapedcatch, which projects downward just far enough to catch over the insideedge of the crank e, and thus prevent the lever z and crank frombecomingseparated. Between the end of the crank and this L- shaped catch isplaced a catch, a, one end of which is provided with the handle q.

Bearing against the outer side of this catch wis the spring 1', one endof which passes between the two catches, while the other end catchesbehind the projection 8 formed upon the lower side of the outer end ofthe crank. This spring serves to keep the catch a con stantly pressedforward, so that it will snap in behind the shoulder g on the outer endof the crank e.

The operator takes hold of the handle or lever 2' with the right hand,and of the handle q of the catch n with the other, and pulls the catch aupward, so as to release it from behind the shoulder g. The lever i thenmoves backward sufficiently far to release the foot 0 from the teeth ofthe ratchet c, and to cause the foot I to bear down upon the smoothportion of the ratchet, and thus by frictional contact prevent thebucket from unwinding the shaft b too rapidly. B y pulling backward uponthis handle 2' the operator can cause the bucket to descend very slowly,stop it at any desired point, or let it descend very rapidly. The pawl hremains in contact with the teeth of the ratchet d all the time, so thatthe crank e cannot fly backward, thereby endangering the operator as helets the bucket into the well.

As soon as the bucket is filled with water and it is desired to draw itupward, the hold is released upon the handle q of the catch a, when thecrank c and the handle 13 revolve together for the purpose of turningthe shaft, and thus drawing the bucket to the top.

Should the handle 2' escape from the hand of the operator while drawingthe bucket to the top, the crank cannot fly backward more than an inchor two before the pawl it catches in the teeth of the ratchet (I andstops it.

Although my invention is here described as being applicable especiallyto wells, it is evident that it may be applied to other uses also.

Having thus described my invention, 1 clai1n- 1. The combination of theshaft I), having the ratchet upon its outerend and rigidly securedthereto, ratchet (1, moving loosely thereon, crank e, and handle orlever i, substantially as shown.

2. The crank 0, having the shoulder g, in combination with the handle I,catch a, and sprint r, substantially as described.

3. The lever or handle 1', having; the feet or catches I e, incombination with the ratchet 1,

JOHN A. ll lLlll HEY.

\\'itnesses:

Axnmcw A. llINtiTON, Aun'n'r tAs'rLic.

